Common Buzzard

"Busby (Juvenile Male) & Flint (Female)"

Buzzards are iconic in Wales and here at the centre we have two. Our juvenile male called Busby is sweet natured and makes the cutest noises. The little guy is going to be a star and with big broad wings he is learning to get higher each day.

Flint our adult female is the oldest of our birds at 27 years old. This is very old for a common buzzard. Flint has a cataract in one eye meaning she struggles to judge distances. She is retired so we don't ask he to fly in displays. She prefer to spend her time watching the world go by from the comfort of her purposely designed aviary where the perches make it easy for her to get around.

Click below to Sponsor "Flint"

Click below to Sponsor "Busby"

COMMON BUZZARD FACTS

Buteo buteo

TERRITORY/LOCATION

Common Buzzards cover most of Europe and extends into Asia. Over much of its range, it is resident year-round, but birds from the colder parts of the northern hemisphere typically migrate south (some well into the southern hemisphere) for the northern winter.

HABITAT

Open countryside with small areas of woodland or the edges of more densely wooded areas. With decreased persecution, they are often being found closer to populated areas, where they can scavenge waste.

CONSERVATION STATUS

Least Concern

DIET

Hunts over open land, a great opportunist, it adapts well to a varied diet of pheasant, rabbit, other small mammals to medium mammals, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates & young birds and can often be seen walking over recently ploughed fields looking for worms and insects, though they will take, carrion often leading to them being accused of killing such things as new born lambs.

SIZE/WEIGHT

40 and 58 cm in length with a 109–136 cm wingspan and weighs 427–1,364 g females being larger than the males

NESTING

The common buzzard breeds in woodlands, usually on the fringes, Buzzard pairs mate for life.

Breeding starts between March and May laying 2-4eggs.

LIFE EXPECTANCY

12-20 years old average age in the wild

28 years oldest recorded in the wild

30 years in captivity

SCIENTIFIC

CLASSIFICATION

KINGDOM

Animalia

PHYLUM

Chordata

CLASS

Aves

ORDER

Accipitriformes

FAMILY

Accipitridae

GENUS

Buteo

SPECIES

B.buteo

DID YOU KNOW?

There are now around 40,000 breeding pairs in UK, still mainly on the western side of the country though occurring throughout Wales & Scotland. The main threat to Common Buzzards in this country is still illegal killing, both by shooting & poisoning.

The British Bird Of Prey Centre

Got a Question?

Our office is open 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday so if you have any questions or would like to book a flying experience please give us a call or click here to send us an email